Arcobaleno Contractor
by Extika
Summary: For thousands of years, seven children have mysteriously disappeared from their homes, only to reappear years later as the successors of the Arcobaleno Contractors, the seven strongest humans of the era. Now, however, the current generation of Arcobaleno hopes to break that cycle through their successors. AU
1. Past to Present

**Disclaimer: KHR belongs to Amano Akira.**

**Warning: OOC-ness.**

* * *

In the beginning, when the Earth was new with life, the balance of the world had been kept by the seven strongest human beings. The first seven were chosen directly by a man with pure white hair. They had been chosen as adult, and were trained knowing and accepting their future duties as the Arcobaleno and Keepers of the Tri-Ni-Set. On the so-called 'The Fated Day', power, in the form of small spheres in the colors of the rainbow, was transferred to each of them. For several lifetimes, this generation endured the curse to protect the world. However, nothing lasts forever.

Eventually, each of the original seven Arcobaleno died, killed in battle or of natural causes. At this time, the white-haired man had no successors, and the world fell into disarray at the abrupt instability. Floods, droughts, epidemics, storms, wildfiires, and the like lasted for years on end; seven disasters for the seven Keepers of the Tri-Ni-Set.

The white-haired man acted quickly. Nevertheless, by the time the next generation of Arcobaleno had been chosen, the human race had all but disappeared completely, been wiped out. He swore that the terrible destruction would occur never again.

And so began the system of Contractors.

When the time came, the current generation of Arcobaleno Contractors would choose their own successors and train them from birth up until their predecessors died. The successors would then take their place. In turn, the next generation of Arcobaleno would raise their own successors. The world would never be without Keepers so long as the cycle continued.

But who would take their place? Not just anyone could be considered the Strongest Seven. The Contractors would have to be wise, moral. And yet, they needed a bit of naivety as well. The answer that came to be arose from the least likely group: children. Or more specifically, infants.

The logic, to the white-haired man, was clear and simple. Children could be more easily molded to fit the high standards than fully grown humans, who had lived their life to their own desires. Moreover, children could be controlled. And in keeping the Tri-Ni-Set under control, control was all that was necessary to the white-haired man.

Therefore, the eve of a new year, seven children disappeared from their homes under the careful watch of their guardians. In a couple of decades, a new era of Arcobaleno appeared, seemingly out of nowhere.

A couple hundred years later, another seven kids from across the world vanished from the world without a trace. As it had been an innumerable number of years since it had happened, no one sought out the truth behind the irregularity. Eventually, everyone forgot about the incident.

Then, seven _more _children disappeared centuries later. The humans of that era were more observant than in the past, and the disappearances did not pass their watchful eyes. Still, vigilantly as they tried, they found no answers. And yet, their answers stood before their very eyes. The Arcobaleno Contractors watched the human race and their conflicting emotions from the shadows.

Over the following generations, the Contractors began to question their role as Keepers of the Tri-Ni-Sette. Was it _right_ for them to steal children away, even for the sake of balance? Wasn't there another way to keep the balance of the world in check rather than take away someone's life?

That was the struggle for the most recent generation of Arcobaleno as their time to choose their successors neared.

Those were the questions running through Luce's mind as she crept towards the home in Namimori, Japan. It was an average little house with a tan exterior and flower gardens around the sides of the structure. It was an average little house, with its plain curtains and layout. But it held something the young woman had not seen in a long time. A familiar sensation of warmth and a welcoming embrace. Yes, the child here would surely make for a wonderful Sky.

Sighing Luce hoped to get it over with as quickly as possible. As a mother of a soon-to-be mother herself, she could easily imagine the heart-wrenching cries the mother of the child inside would echoing throughout the quiet little town and the average little house. By then, she would be gone as quickly as she arrived with one extra person.

The next morning, the inhabitants of the average little home in Namimori woke up to a dreadful surprise waiting for them. As Luce imagined, the young mother inside let out a heartbroken cry at finding her son's crib, decorated with tiny little fish, empty, her dear son nowhere to be found.

And on October 14, just hours after his first birthday, Sawada Tsunayoshi disappeared from the world.

* * *

A/N: I've seen so many 10th gen children/1st gen parent fics that I decided to try a different approach. I'm not sure how where I'm going with this. I wrote this chapter in maybe an hour, so it's kind of erratic, but hopefully it makes sense. If not...I guess things will be explained in later chapters. I promise it won't be as weird as this chapter...Okay, maybe it will be.

Anyway, please review and tell me what you think of this and any suggestions for the plot. On a side note, there won't be any pairings. Probably.

Thanks for reading!


	2. Troubled Sky

**Disclaimer: KHR belongs to Amano Akira.**

**Warnings: OOC-ness**

* * *

Every person had dreams, but few actually _dreamt_.

Luce wasn't sure when they'd actually begun, but dreams of the future, specifically of her future, began to trouble her. As an Arcobaleno Contractor, she knew she would eventually have to assume a child as her successor, but doubts still nagged at the corner of her conscience. She considered herself rather moral, despite her duty, and being a mother herself, she wondered if whisking away some poor woman's child was truly the right thing to do. And yet, she believed that, should fate have it, all would turn out for the better.

So when the shaman's dreams began to reveal minute details of the future, obscure but vibrant details, she wasn't too surprised. After all, she knew the time would come. She did wonder, though, if any of the others had searched for their successors as of yet.

She shook her head; she could worry about that later. Luce needed to find hers first.

If she went by the dreams, the child Luce was looking for was hardly a year old and already had fluffy chestnut-colored hair and bright, curious brown eyes. Chubby little fingers that only a child could have reached out to Luce in her dreams, as though, somehow, he knew she was looking for him. And perhaps he did. Often while dreaming, Luce would accidentally enter the mindscapes of others, be it friends or strangers. But this boy, she definitely would have remembered him.

'Adorable' was simply not enough to describe the little Tsunayoshi.

Luce knew where to find him, of course. After all, what kind of shaman would she be if she couldn't make inferences from the background? Japan was where she was headed now, to Namimori, specifically. She rode in a high-class jet to her destination – the white-haired man paid no expense when it came to matters of the Arcobaleno.

Luce had no specific feelings towards the white-haired man who'd known her ancestor Sepira, the first Sky Arcobaleno. She did not hate him, nor did she despise him, though several of her companions did. To Luce, he was merely an omnipresent presence designed to watch over her – so long as she carried out her duties, she would never have to set eyes on the man. And that was fine with her. Fate would eventually bring forth whatever consequences it had in store for the two of them.

Or, at least, she hoped so.

Since her daughter Aria had left, Luce questioned herself and her duty far more than ever before. The white-haired man had cast those doubtful thoughts aside, though, with his talk of the greater good. One child's disappearance for the sake of the world seemed like a fair trade. That's how she acted, anyway.

Secretly, she would wait for the right time for her chance to dissent from the current cycle of Arcobaleno Contractors.

* * *

Luce reached the small Japanese town a bit after ten at night, when most of the townspeople would be in their homes, preparing for rest. Those that were still up would not notice a woman hidden in shadows lurking about. Having exchanged her usual white Giglio Nero dress and cloak, and her voluminously puffy hat, Luce stood at the white-walled street corner in a comfortable navy turtleneck and slacks. Her _hime_-cut, steel-blue hair had been pulled back into a long ponytail stretching down along her back so as to not get in her way.

She gazed up at the home, patiently waiting for the lights on the second floor to switch off, hand clasped around the orange orb dangling from her neck. Hearing noises coming from inside the uniform two-story home, Luce strained to listen in. Laughter echoed throughout the darkness, giving a cheery air to her surroundings, and she almost leaves right then and there, almost convinced to leave and never to disrupt this warm atmosphere.

Almost.

But 'almost' was most definitely not the same as actually 'happening'. And so, Luce waited there on the sidewalk, hoping to finish in little time. However, she didn't expect to have to wait for another hour before the lights finally switched off, and silence took the earlier laughter's place.

It was then that Luce made her move.

Taking a few steps away from the wall and into the street, Luce gazed up at the wall separating the house. Then she took a bounding leap forwards and upwards over the wall, feet skipping off the ground with a quick _click!_ of her shoes against the asphalt. Gracefully, her feet rested on the thick platform of the wall, and her eyes moved to the small roof balcony of an upstairs room. In a second lithe movement, Luce stood upon it, a thin shadow cast upon the curtained windows.

Luce checked the window, only to find it unlocked. She supposed not all parents would be so overprotective that they would lock a window on the second floor, but she was surprised, nonetheless. Placing a gentle hand on the spot where the frame's lock should be, Luce slowly lifted up the white wooden frame, sighing mentally when it made no sound.

Yet the whimper of a child made her pause.

Luce silently slipped into the infant's room, hair swishing in the breeze. Examining the room, she took note that, unlike the rest of the home's neutrality, it was bright with blues and oranges, from the striped walls around her to the fuzzy rugs beneath her feet.

Another sound drew her focus to a crib to her left, where a baby hardly older than a year wiggles around with a furrowed brow. Even with just a quick glance, Luce sensed the faint orange flame flickering within the boy, itching to be free. The boy had snuggled next to a yellow lion plush with an orange mane, his own wild brown mane matching the lion's.

"Tsunayoshi…" Luce whispered the name, smiling. "It means 'lucky rope', hm? An entity that binds all together under its vast embrace. One that colors and engulfs everything. The sky."

Tsunayoshi, hearing his name in sleep, drowsily opened his eyes and blinked at Luce, not comprehending that the figure was not his mother. Eyes half-lidded with sleep, the boy reached out with his tiny hands in Luce's direction, motioning that he wanted 'up'. Luce smiled gently, the boy's motions reminding her of a time when her own Aria was the same age.

"Uh!" A sound coming from the boy snapped Luce out of her reminiscing. Right, she had to hurry.

Complying quickly, Luce lifted Tsunayoshi into her arms, his lion still held securely within his arms. She cradled his head on her shoulder until he fell back to sleep. She glanced back at the open window, knowing she would have to find another escape route.

Steps muffled by the carpeting, Luce headed for the bedroom's door, stepping over the piles of clothing and toys scattered across the floor in the orderly fashion only a child could achieve. Luce vaguely noted that there were far more toys than one child could play with, but passed it off as nothing more than spoiling parents. She pulled open the door, centimeter by centimeter, until it was ajar just enough for her to slip through. As she thought, the lights in the hallway were off, but she was able to navigate regardless.

Gliding along the hallways of the house, Luce paused when she heard movement coming from one of the rooms. Instinctively, she held Tsunayoshi closer to her chest, forgetting that she was the intruder there. The doorknob of an adjacent room jangled, and the Arcobaleno Contractor flinched. She scanned her surroundings for a hiding spot, but no place was close enough for her to reach without creating more noise. Before she could decide what to do, though, the door creaked open, and a small figure padded out of the room.

It was another little boy, this one a year or two older than Tsunayoshi, with long, dirty blond hair and blue eyes unfocused with sleep. He carried a blue dolphin plush loosely in one hand, the other rubbing his eyes.

"Wherefore thee holdst my brother?" he asked Luce in a strange form of Japanese. Not strange; rather, old. Luce smiled disarmingly at the boy. She moved closer to him, kneeling down before him.

Placing a finger on the boy's forehead, a light orange flame flickering around the tip, she whispered, "It shouldn't concern you, dear."

The boy's eyes slowly closed, and Luce lifted him into her arms as well, being careful not to awaken either of the boys. Pushing open the door, she walked into this boy's room, which was much more orderly than Tsunayoshi's. After tucking the dirty blonde into his bed, Luce left the room, hopefully for the last time.

Fortunately for her, she encountered no more stragglers, and made it down to the front door. Luce unlocked the door but paused before actually taking a step outside.

It wasn't too late, she knew. She could just return Tsunayoshi to his bed and leave without anyone ever knowing she was there. There was also that other boy to think about. Luce hadn't known there was another boy. A deepening pain wrenched open her chest. Not only would the parents worry, but Tsunayoshi's brother would be crushed as well.

Luce shook her head. This was all for the good of everyone. One child's disappearance for the sake of the world. That's all it was – a disappearance. It was not to say he would not thrive as her successor; rather, he would have a more privileged life.

Moreover, she would be one step closer to her goal.

And so, Luce left the average little house in Namimori with one extra person, witnessed only by the boundless night sky.

* * *

Several hours later, when the sun had begun to rise, Luce arrived at her small rustic cottage in a village at the edge of a vast meadow and forest of Italy. It was a quiet and old little village, with hilly cobbled streets and ivy vines draped around window panes and stone archways. Villaggio Celeste, it was named, 'Celestial Village' in Italian.

As Luce neared her home, a blonde boy on a slightly rickety bicycle sped by, only to double take at the bundle in Luce's arms and nearly crash into a pile of crates near the bakery on the other side of the street. Leaping up almost immediately, the blond-haired boy rushed over to the Arcobaleno Contractor.

"Buongiorno1, Signora Luce!" he greeted her cheerfully, walking over with his hands in his pockets. He wore a black dress shirt and white vest, certainly not clothing suited for riding bicycles around town.

"Buongiorno to you, too, Signor Dino," Luce replied politely. "Where are you off to at this time of the day? That Reborn isn't making you do laps around the town again, is he?" She asked the last part in a teasing manner, knowing how strict and harsh Reborn could be.

"Not this time," answered Dino with a relieved sigh. "Dad wanted me to get up early to go to a meeting with him." He huffed angrily. "I already told him that I didn't want to be the boss though! He just won't listen!"

The two were quiet for a moment, listening to the chirps of birds signaling the start of the morning.

"Ah! I was going to ask you," Dino suddenly exclaimed. He pointed to the bundle Luce was carrying. "What is that?"

Luce chuckled, but only answered with a mysterious, "I'll show you later." The boy knew Luce the shaman well enough that he knew she could sometimes be rather strange. Once, she had been talking to Dino when she suddenly got really quiet and told him that he would become the next Cavallone boss. Dino had passed it off as nonsense – he wasn't _ever_ going to be a mob boss. Not everything Luce said made sense, and so Dino went with it.

Saying a farewell to Luce, Dino hopped clumsily back onto his bike and kicked off the ground, swerving wildly around a few early risers and stray cats and colliding with the close stucco walls. Luce's lips curved upwards in amusement before Luce herself turned and passed through the slatted gates in front of her house. As she unlocked the front door, a tuft of chocolate-brown peeked out of the bundle she was carrying and made a small sound.

"Shh…we're almost there, Tsunayoshi," she whispers softly to the boy.

Entering, the overhead lamps gradually glowed, triggered by her movement. Luce folds back the blanket from Tsunayoshi's face, and he blinked in the new light. He snuggled closer to his lion, turning to Luce expectantly. Earlier, he hadn't seen Luce's face clearly, but now, even in his young age, he could tell that this woman with dark blue hair was not his mama. Yet, at the same time, her presence calmed him, as though he'd known her before.

Luce brought him up a short flight of curved stairs and into a doorway to her left, while Tsunayoshi watched with both fascination and fear at the surroundings. Everything was neat and orderly, with few things out of place. Flowers, though, were everywhere – in standing planters, in hanging containers, and around lattices. Each and every one of them had been brought either directly or indirectly to Luce by Reborn. Ever since he became a hitman, he would always bring a bouquet of flowers when meeting up with Luce, and she'd kept them since.

The chattering from an orange squirrel with a white belly and bushy tail broke Luce out of her wandering thoughts once more, and she turned to it with a smile. It sat on the top of the nightstand in her bedroom. Placing said boy gently on the fluffy bed, Luce held out her hand and allowed the squirrel to scamper onto her hand. Then she brought it down to the eyelevel with the boy, who giggled when he saw the small animal.

"Ri-ri!" he squealed happily, waving his arms around wanting to pet it. Luce sat down next to him – while she could trust her partner to behave, she still wanted to watch over the two. The squirrel tilted its head at the strange little boy, then stuck out its nose to sniff.

Luce, realizing Tsunayoshi was trying to say '_risu_2', gently corrected, "This is Cosmo, Tsunayoshi. He's a _scoiattolo_, a squirrel."

"Cos-mo?" echoed Tsunayoshi, mimicking the squirrel and tilting his head to the side.

"Yep! Cosmo is my partner," Luce informed him. The squirrel scurried up the child's back and perched on top of his wild mane of hair, much to Tsunayoshi's delight, and the boy held up his stuffed lion to the squirrel.

"Natsu!" he proudly proclaimed. "Cos-mo!"

"Ah, I see," said Luce. "Natsu is your partner." Hearing Luce, Tsunayoshi turned to her and held out 'Natsu' to her as well, smiling. She chuckled, saying, "Yes, he's very cute, just like you."

Luce watched the two play, that was, Cosmo jumping around and Tsunayoshi trying to catch him with Natsu, for a bit. After a while, Tsunayoshi began to grow tired, and even Luce had trouble stifling a yawn. Teasingly, she tapped the boy on his nose, asking him, "Are you sleepy already, little Sky?" When he nearly nodded off and tipped over to the side, she took that as a yes. She'd been up all night herself, so a good long nap sounded nice.

Luce undressed the sleepy child and redressed him in orange footie pajamas that were too big on him. She'd been rather busy lately, so she hadn't had time to pick out clothing for her successor, but that would have to be one of her top priorities in the next few days. Luce could already imagine all of the cute outfits she could dress Tsunayoshi in.

However, Luce suddenly felt a growing pang of guilt in her chest. How could she be here, playing with the son of another, without a care for his parents? It was their duty to take care of their child, not hers. And yet, she had a duty of her own to fulfill. Yet…

To take her mind off of those troubling thoughts, Luce began to sing an old tune, one that her mother and her mother's mother had sung to her. Immediately, both Tsunayoshi and listened to her solemn song, their eyes gradually closing in sleep. Luce rested the child softly onto the cushions, her partner nearby.

"The sea knows no limit to its vastness," she sang, closing her eyes in peace.

"The shellfish in sea perseveres through time, gazing upon the sky." She lay down beside Tsunayoshi, smiling at his sleeping face.

"And the rainbow appears every now and then, only to fade away once more."

And as the song came to a close, Luce herself nearly in the land of dreams, whispered, "Sleep well, my little sky."

* * *

A/N: First off, I can't tell you how happy I am to get so many reviews, favorites, and follows. Honestly, waking up to find that you have reviews to read is an awesome feeling. So thanks (in no particular order), Hoplesslyhope, DMCP, codenumber6, Asumi Ayumi, The Mafia-ish Addiction, Lexie-chan94, JamieGlasgow4, Kiyomi di Vongola, Lucky Kittens, Purple-Berri, zorchide, La Signora Della Grande Cielo, Lunakatsuma, Marcella153, Say-theLastWord, The Neo Productions, Tyrandale, cael05, mangopudding, and sleepdeprived91 for your support. And so many questions, Asumi Ayumi, some of which I don't even know the answer to yet!

Alright, second, I hope this chapter didn't bore you; after all, not much really happened. Besides, as I said earlier, I'm not really sure where I'm going with this. But I felt I needed a bridge into the story, so this was it. I'm not sure why, but it was _exhausting_ to write. Maybe it's because I repeat myself too much (Please tell me if that's the problem). In addition, I know next-to-nothing about one-year-olds and the like, so if something sounds off, please tell me.

Third, questions about the story. I'm wondering how long chapters should be. Around 2,500 words feels natural to me, but if I worked at it, I could probably make them longer. Also, which Arcobaleno would you want to hear about next?

I think I'm going to end this here because it's getting really long. So, please, review and tell me how I'm doing, give suggestions, ask questions, etc. But even if you don't, thanks for reading!

1Buongiorno' - 'Good morning' in Italian.

2Risu' - 'Squirrel' in Japanese.

3'Scoiattolo' - 'Squirrel' in Italian.


	3. Calming the Storm

**Disclaimer: KHR belongs to Amano Akira.**

**Warnings: Slightly confusing dialogue; OOC-ness.**

**Bolded Words are English.**

[_Bracketed and Italicized words are in Italian_].

Normally-formatted words are in Mandarin (For the sake of writing, no tones are used for the pinyin).

* * *

Calming the Storm

The silver-haired woman ran through the snow, ignoring the growing pains in her legs and the coldness slowly crawling up her spine. Pointed branches tore at her dress as she ran barefoot up the hills, but she took no notice. She had to run, no time to stop. They were after her, she knew, after her and the infant she carried with her. Her name was Lavina Gokudera, but that wouldn't matter if they caught her, in which case death was certain. She couldn't believe what had happened, how a normal family trip could turn so deadly within hours.

Her Family had been organizing this trip for months now as a way to celebrate the birth of her Hayato. They'd intended to visit Lavina's family in Japan, where she'd grown up, by passing through the scenic _Huangshan_1 of China. It was somewhat of a gift to the wife of the mafia boss, who had never left their Italian villa after marrying him nearly three years ago. And so, after she had given birth to Hayato, Luka Veleno2 had asked Lavina about her wish, to which she replied, "To see the world, of course!"

With this as her answer, Luka set off to personally plan a trip for his family, which consisted of himself and Lavina, of course, but also three-year-old Bianchi and her little brother Hayato, and several bodyguards. They'd left Italy earlier this week and stayed at a hidden villa in the _Huangshan _range.

It had been fun for the first few days – Lavina and her husband had finally been able to relax from the stressful positions as a mob boss and a mob boss' wife, and Bianchi finally met her cute little brother, who almost uncannily resembled his mother. They'd played in the early snow of the mountains, and had visited the old _Honglong_3 Ch'an monastery nearby, forgetting about the troubles of the outside world.

But then, five days into the trip, when Lavina went for a walk alone (read: with two bodyguards) with Hayato, unwelcome news finally reached her ears in the most disturbing way.

After walking for a while, the bodyguards had stopped, taking out their guns. Lavina turned to them, confused and tensed. Was there an enemy nearby? But only the Family and the monastery should've known about the villa.

But the young wife had no time to question this further as the barrels of two guns turned to her.

"[_What is the meaning of this?_]" she had demanded indignantly. She instinctively clutched Hayato closer to her, shielding him.

"[_The don has ordered your death_,]" one of the men stated apathetically, and Lavina visibly paled.

"[_Luka would never order that!_]" she objected fiercely. Her raised voice startled Hayato, who then began to wail in his mother's arms. "[_How dare you make up such lie—_]"

"[_Believe whatever you want to, lady_]_,_" the other cut in. "[_Either way, you die here._]"

In a flash, a bullet whizzed at Lavina's head, but she ducked right at the last second, stumbling backwards. Catching her balance, she fled, leaping over tree trunks and ducking under the overhanging branches. With every step she took, her fear was replaced with an ever-growing determination to escape and save Hayato and herself. She could find out the truth later.

Lavina heard more gunshots behind her, though they all miraculously missed. All the while, Hayato continued to cry, frightened by the loud noises and harsh movements. His mother had no destination in mind, though. Where was there to go? She couldn't return to the villa, for what if other Family members were ready to kill her? Certainly, those lies about her Luka wanting to kill her were false. There was no way they could be true. Right?

Without warning, a bullet pierced the young woman's heel, and she stumbled over a stone and fell face first into a pile of snow, her infant skittering a few feet away. For a moment, she kept her head down in the snow, listening to the cries next to her and in the distance. Was there even any point in continuing on? Whether or not those men were telling the truth, they would eventually catch her. No, she had to get Hayato to safety at least.

As she painfully picked herself up, she noticed a soft light glowing in the distance. The sun was already setting, so it was a wonder how she'd noticed it in the glaring mesh of sunset. It was familiar, that glow and for a moment, she wondered where she'd seen it before. Then she remembered. That light red glow came from paper lanterns lit at the _Honglong_ monastery she'd visited earlier.

Lavina hurriedly reclaimed Hayato into her arms and began to run once more, this time with a destination, even with her leg burning. She smiled; she would escape; she would save her little boy.

Up ahead, over rocky terrain, sat a sprawling white fortress-of-sorts with crimson up-turned edges outlined with golden tiles. Red-framed windows illuminated with candlelight drew her attention, as well as the octagonal-shaped archway into the monastery.

A dark figure emerged from the archway, a young man by the looks of it, with long black hair tied up into a braid, wearing a lengthy red Chinese jacket. Lavina paused for a moment, wondering if this man was part of her Family or not. She had to take a chance.

The young woman ran to the man in red, and he turned to her, a knowing gaze upon his face. He smiled at her kindly, but did not seem to understand her urgency.

"[_Please, please help me!_]"

* * *

As Fon strolled through the familiar corridors he'd grown up in as the successor of the Storm Arcobaleno, he wondered why there was a strange aura in the air. He couldn't place his finger on it, but it was as though the winds were warning him of danger, a concept rarely seen in the high cliffs of the _Huangshan_. But, he thought, even if something exciting should occur, he would continue to breeze on by in life, like he had for years.

Still, he wondered if something that had to do with that interesting group from earlier should happen. They were a strange bunch; that was for sure. Normally, if the monastery ever had visitors, they spoke the 'universal language' English. But those people had spoken a different romance language. Fon wondered why a family that was obviously rich would spend time in a retreat hidden high in the mountains.

Both men and women had made the monastery their home over the years, and it had always been a pleasure for Fon to watch them and their children grow up, a slice of life he'd lost since becoming the Storm Arcobaleno.

Flat and simple black shoes clicked softly across the bamboo floors, wandering aimlessly. Sure, he sparred and became friends with the other monks, but there was little more to do besides train and share the teachings of Buddha. To be honest, such an easy and routine life somewhat bored the man listlessly. Yet, he could never bring himself to leave this hallowed home, no matter how many times he tried.

"Fon-_laoshi_4," a timid voice spoke up then. Fon paused, turning his attention to the young monk who caught him in his wandering state again. This monk could hardly be older than ten, but an uneducated wisdom already shone in his dark eyes. But detracting from the young man's physical appearance was the empty spot where his right arm should've been.

In the outside world, such a sight would be uncommon to the point that others would look down on the boy for his 'error'. None of that mattered here, where a missing limb was only one of the many 'abnormalities' shunned outside. That was the sad thing, Fon often thought. Nearly all of the younger monks in the monastery had been abandoned by their families, who were ashamed of their appearances or saw the disfigured children as unfit to work. Just last week, another child had arrived, his right eye torn out and the remaining one a glaring gold – he was just barely a year old. This boy had been the latter, unable to work with the rest of his family.

"Yes, Jian?" Fon replied, placing his hands within overlapping red sleeves, his natural position. The boy fiddled shyly with the edge of his yellow-orange robes before replying.

"Lei-Hua-_furen_5 wishes to see you," Jian answered. The boy panicked upon seeing Fon collapse to the ground and shimmy backwards until he was up against the white stone walls. His black eyes were wide with shock. "F-Fon-_laoshi_?!"

Slowly, Fon took a deep breath and got to his feet, regaining his composure in seconds. Inside, however, he was freaking out. "Er-hm. Yes, please tell her…some other time!" With that, Storm Arcobaleno turned and ran, slipping past various monks on their way to dinner or prayer. "Pardon me! Excuse me!"

"Ah! It's Fon-_laoshi_!"

"Where is he going?"

"Didn't you hear? Lei-Hua's looking for him."

"Haha, he'd better keep running then!"

It wasn't that Fon was afraid of Lei-Hua, the elderly caretaker of the _Honglong _Monastery. Well…maybe it was. The terrifying woman had practically raised him, with an iron fist and everything. No one ever wanted to get on her bad side. If she was specifically looking for him, though, that meant she'd caught his students goofing off or worse, and _he'd _receive the punishment of spending an entire month as her personal assistant. Normally, that threat alone was enough to keep order in the place – the first time the rule was enacted, some foolish young monk (read: a rebellious fourteen-year-old Fon) had went on and graffitied the plain exterior walls, but was caught. He couldn't look Lei-Hua in the eye for months after that.

Outside, the next day's snow had already begun to fall gracefully over the wide grounds. The koi pond and the bridge across it already had a light layer of ice covering it, and the trees, though winter, still rustled with leaves. The setting sun cast a reddish glow onto the snow, giving it a blood-like tint. The younger monks would often play here, and the older ones would relax.

Fon closed his eyes, smiling as a cool breeze brushed past his face. If only for a moment, he could forget about his current troubles. The high Chinese mountains could do that to people.

Suddenly, though, the cry of an infant and the sharp intake of breath jerked Fon out of his peace, and his eyes went to the octagonal archway that served as one of the only two doorways out of the place. The two wide, crimson brass doors lay open to the outside. Was there someone there?

The Storm Arcobaleno began to walk over to the gateway, his pace quickening with each step as the sounds became more urgent. As he reached the archway, he saw what it was: an injured woman with long silver hair messy from running, and a little boy maybe one year old with matching silver hair resting in her arms. She was…breathtaking, Fon thought, and a little bit familiar. She was with that strange group from earlier, right?

The moment the woman glanced upwards and saw him watching her, she sped up, kneeling before him. Then she asked him something in a language he didn't understand, but from her anxious and terror-stricken state, he understood that she was in trouble of some sort. Within seconds, he made up his mind.

Swiftly, Fon took her hand and supported her into the tall walls of the cloister and up to the entrance to the main building. He rang the bell next to the doorway, the one used to catch the attention of those in the courtyard. A few others immediately arrived, eyes widening with surprise and worry at the sight of the woman. Fon glanced at her, taking note of the blood trailing from her ankle that came from a bullet wound.

"Take her to the infirmary, carefully!" he ordered the nearest monk, who gently took the woman into his arms bridal style and turned away.

"_Aspetta_!" the silver-haired woman suddenly shouted, and Fon turned to her. Even in another language, he knew she wanted his attention.

"**Do you speak English, miss?**" he asked her. She slowly nodded. What a strange woman, Fon thought. "**Then please listen to me. We're taking you to the infirmary right now. I assume there are enemies after you?**"

"**Yes, they're from my F—part of the mafia**," confirmed the woman. But then her voice became more urgent. "**But, please, don't try to fight them! They'll kill you!**"

Fon smiled calmly at her. "**Do not worry, miss. Such men cannot kill me so easily**."

He spun on his heels quickly, before the woman could interject further. Ignoring the cries from both the monks and the woman, he headed back outside, where he finally noticed the red trail leading from outside the monastery to the door. Taking a deep breath and placing his palms together, Fon shut his eyes. A moment later, his eyes snapped back open, and he expelled his arms outward, shouting, " Mohu feng8!"

In a flash of white, a breeze blew all of the reddened snow away, as though a wave had washed it away. No sign of remained to say it was ever there. Satisfied, Fon placed his hands within his sleeves and walked to the entrance of the monastery, needing to prepare for the following situation. No doubt the men after the miss and her infant would investigate the entire area, so if and when they came here, he would be ready.

* * *

The two Mafiosi, infuriated and panting from wandering the woods, finally came upon the white-walled monastery where, unbeknownst to them, their target currently was. They hadn't dared return to their boss, who would no doubt kill them for such failure. So, they had no choice but stay out in the cold and search.

A man in long red monk's robes wearing his long black hair up in a ponytail smiled cheerfully as they came up to him tiredly. His hands remained in their sleeves, and both Mafiosi quickly became wary. From their experience, they knew all sorts of weapons could be hidden in the most obscure places.

"_Ni hao__6_!" Fon called to them. His expression remained cheery, but a steely glare underlay his dark eyes. He bowed more deeply than needed, and continued in a thick and fake accent, "**Or, how you say, 'herro'!**"

The Mafiosi completely ignored this, though, and opted instead to grab Fon by the front of his robes and deman roughly in English, "**Have you seen a woman run this way?**"

"**A woman?**" Fon echoed in mock confusion, placing a hand on his chin. Then his face brightened. "**Ah! You mean beautiful wife. You find no wife here, sirs. This is all-male monastery.**" As though to prove it, he gestured to the main grounds, which conveniently hosted a group of male monks in the midst of a prayer.

"_Scordatelo__7_, Marc," the second man said to the one gripping Fon. "[He obviously doesn't know]." The one called 'Marc' threw Fon onto the ground, and the Chinese man got to his feet.

"**Perhaps you two are travelers?**" Fon continued, brushing himself off. He took the two by their black-clad elbows and pulled them toward the gateway. "**Come, come! I get you soup!**"

"**Don't touch us, scum!**" Marc shouted, jerking himself away. He pulled out a pistol and aimed it at Fon. The action drew the attention of already wary monks, who now glared at the Mafiosi, and Fon even noticed the glint of steel facing the aggressor. He sent them a look, however, and they slowly went back to their previous acts. "**I am Marc de Fior, the right-hand man of Luka Veleno! I should kill you for that!**"

Fon silently noted those names in his head, and it would seem Reborn would have some target practice soon. He prepared to draw the sword hidden in his cloaks, but when facing the barrel of a gun, any sort of movement would send a bullet flying at him. Not that he couldn't evade such rudimentary means easily – he could stop a bullet with only two fingers – no, doing so would only blow his cover, and the lady inside would be found. The casualties that followed would be too great, for the Mafiosi, that was.

"[_Let's go!_]" Marc abruptly shouted, returning his gun to his belt. He stormed off, his companion following close behind.

Fon nonchalantly waved as their figures disappeared once more into the woods, but Fon's smile soon disappeared, and his open hand closed. With a relieved sigh, he started to return to the monastery, when he sensed a couple dozen presences hiding around him.

"You may come out of hiding now," he told them while smiling. Black-haired heads popped out from behind the walls, out from the surrounding trees, and even up from the koi pond within the grounds. He'd had the monks ready to attack should anything have gone wrong, but, fortunately, the situation didn't come to that.

Fon returned to the monastery hallways, heading for the infirmary. As he walked, the monks parted for him in awe.

"You were so cool, Fon-_laoshi_!"

"Those men stood no chance!"

Outside the sanatorium, the younger monks finally dispersed. Fon knocked and slid the bamboo door open before entering.

"**Miss?**" he called inside. "**The men are gone and probably won't return**."

The lady glanced up at him from one of the white-sheeted futons, her sleeping baby in her arms. Her ankle had been bandaged, and a relieved smile graced her face.

"**Thank you so much**," she said, "**er…**"

"**Fon**," the Chinese man supplied. "**And your name?**"

"**I'm Lavina V—**" her voice caught in her throat, and continued after clearing it—"**Lavina Gokudera. And this**—" she held onto her baby's hand and waved it in Fon's direction—"**is Hayato. Say 'Hello', Haya-chan.**"

Hayato giggled as his mother waved his tiny hand at the man in red, whom he appeared fascinated with. Somehow, the little boy knew it wasn't his own father, as a calming aura seemed to emanate from him in a breeze.

After a moment of calmness, Fon knew he had to ask. "**So what will you do now, Miss?**" he asked Lavina. "**From what those men said, they are still after you**."

Lavina sighed and glanced away. "**I'll have to return at some point**," she told Fon, who stood up quickly.

"**You can't!**" he said loudly. Clearing his throat, he repeated himself more quietly. "**You can't**."

Now it was Lavina's turn to stand. "**And why not?**" she demanded. "**You may not know this, but those men who were after me are part of my family. I have to return and find out if what they said was true.**"

"**And that would be…?**"

"**That doesn't matter**," Lavina answered softly, her thoughts shifting to Luka. Why didn't this man understand her urgency?

Fon sighed, deciding to let it go. Whatever the reason Lavina had, she was adamant on leaving. "**Very well,**" he said, and she collapsed back onto the bed. "**But please, at least stay here until your leg heals.**"

"**Fine,**" allowed Lavina.

Smiling, Fon left the room.

* * *

The next few days came and left quickly, with Fon hearing about the current affairs, and Lavina learning about a hidden corner of the same world. Lavina was almost surprised to see a life that was so free of fighting and crime. Fon was just glad to have a break from routine after so long.

So when the time came, it came as a surprise to Fon that he was sad to see Lavina leave so soon after meeting. He'd known so many people over the years, yet he was truly sad to see her go. He knew not to try and stop her leaving again, though – once a woman's mind was made up, there was no changing it. Fon was the only one to see the lady off early in the morning, as the other monks were already busy with their daily tasks. Lavina wore a clean outfit, her other one having gotten stained. A light snow fell in the early morning light, but neither took notice of it.

"**Thank you, Fon**," she thanked him again, bowing as well as she could with Hayato in her arms.

"**Really, it was no trouble**," Fon answered smiling. An awkward moment of silence passed between them.

"**Well, I should be going, then,**" said Lavina.

"**Indeed,**" agreed Fon. "**However, should you ever return to the **_**Huangshan **_**Mountains, please know you are always welcome here.**"

The two said one more uneasy goodbye to each other, then Lavina turned left into the forest, her outline disappearing with each step.

Lavina easily found the path she'd taken through the woods, which were empty of any mafia men now. But the woods were so quiet that even the smallest of sounds might alert the Family. Her boots crunched through the snow, unintentionally marking a path back to the monastery.

Fifteen minutes later, she reached the clearing where the Family's villa sat. Laving sighed a breath of relief at the sight. She started to walk into the snowy lawn, but paused when she saw the two Mafiosi conversing with her Luka. She couldn't stop her breath from hitching in her throat, catching the attention of the three men.

They looked over to her, unidentifiable emotions marking their faces. Then her Luka broke into a grin and held his arms wide open to her.

"_Mia cara,_" he exclaimed. "_[Where have you been? Marc and Carmine have been looking for you all night!_]" Lavina stared at the two men, who saluted her, then at Luka, with uncertainty. Could it be her husband didn't know about their treason?

Deliberately slow, she strode to his open arms, nearly flinching when he embraced her. Hayato decided at that moment to make a sound. He didn't like this loud man's voice.

Luka placed his large hands on Lavina's shoulders and stood her back a couple of feet.

"[_A__nd you found Hayato, too! Bianchi will be so relieved! Now, let's go inside and have breakfast]._"

As Luka Veleno headed inside, something struck Lavina as odd. Her husband didn't ask her once about what happened, or whether she was alright. Had something happened? Had Marc and Carmine told him lies?

"[_Are you coming, dear?_]" her husband's voice asked far away.

Lavina stole one last glance to the woods behind her, but soon followed after him.

"_[Yes, dear]_."

* * *

Lavina sat with Bianchi and Hayato at the vast Victorian style dining table in the grand hall of the villa an hour later in her one of normal frilly, high-necked dresses. The table had set not with their finest china, but with everyday plastic dishes. Another odd occurrence. Whenever Lavina and Luka ate, the mob boss always demanded the best.

"[_Maman? Is something wrong?_]" Bianchi asked Lavina as she spoon-fed her little brother yogurt that was a strange purplish color.

"[_Nothing at all, Bianchi dear_]," her mother replied. She couldn't help but look nervously at the grand doors where two guards stood. They made her nervous, at the very least, and even more so when their guns were visible.

Lavina got to her feet and picked up her Hayato, whose face was messy with the strawberry yogurt. "[_Bianchi_]," she got her daughter's attention.

"[_Yes, Maman_]?"

"[_We're leaving_]." Bianchi hopped off of her seat and took her mother's hand hurriedly, not understanding what was going on.

"[_Where do you think you're going_]?" Luka demanded, appearing at the doorway. Taking a step in, he shut the large doors.

"[_We were merely going for a walk, Luka_]," Lavina held her ground.

"[_Without any guards_]?" he said, feigning surprise. "[_My, aren't you getting brave. Shall I call Marc_]?"

"[_You know perfectly well of what happened, don't you, Luka_]?" she said. "[_He and Carmine nearly killed me four days ago_]."

"[_Yes, and they've been severely punished_]," stated Luka, and Lavina relaxed…until the next words he uttered, "[_for they failed in their only job: to kill you_]."

Upon hearing this, Lavina paled immensely and hid Bianchi behind herself. "[_What—_]"

"[_You heard what I said, Lavina_]," Luka interjected coldly. "[_I have no more use for you, so I had you disposed of. Obviously, my men can't follow an order as simple as that_]." Reaching into his jacket, he took out a handgun and aimed it at Lavina. "[_So, I guess I'll just have to do it myself_]."

Hearing clicks around her as well, Lavina saw that she, Bianchi, and her Hayato were completely surrounded by Mafiosi and guns. There was no way out that she could see except for maybe the tall windows. But even then, even before she took a single step, they'd have killed her already. Hugging Bianchi and Hayato close to her, she shut her eyes tightly, waiting for the end.

_BLAM! BL-BLAM! BL-BLAM! BLAM! BL-BLAM!_

The shots are deafening, but not one reached their intended target. Realizing this, Lavina's creaked open, shooting open when she saw a figure in red standing right in front of her.

"F-Fon?!" she exclaimed.

"**I was afraid of this**," he remarked to no one. He stood with both arms held out in front of him, holding dozens of smoking bullets between his fingers. "**Thank goodness I got here on time**."

"[_You! Who are you?!]_" demanded Luka furiously.

Throwing the bullets to the ground, Fon placed an open palm to his ear. "**What was that? I couldn't hear you over how bad your aim is**," he remarked. "**However, if you must know, I am Fon of the Red Dragon Monastery and Storm of the Arcobaleno. And should you dare endanger those close to me**—" he glanced at Lavina her children—"**you will learn firsthand the reason why I was once called the 'Bloody Claw of the Red Dragon'.**"

The Mafiosi turned a strange mixture of white and sea green at the mention of the Arcobaleno. Everyone knew that they were the strongest seven humans in the world, so why was one living hidden from the world? They decided, regardless of what their boss may order, they would never dare to go against one. Doing so would only ensure humiliating defeat.

Luka Veleno, however, did not think so. Instead, the boss chuckled, which turned into a full-blown chortle.

"**You must be joking**," he said. "**You? An Arcobaleno? I've heard about the legendary Strongest Seven, boy, and you look nothing like one**."

"**Have you heard the saying, 'looks can be deceiving?**" Fon asked, placing his arms in his sleeves and smiling. "**I thought you might be a somewhat intelligent man, but it would appear even and Arcobaleno can be wrong.**"

"**Why you…**" Growling, Luka redirected his glare to his men. "[_Why're you just standing there?!_]" he screeched. "[_Get him!_]"

The Mafiosi hesitantly charged, reloading their firearms, but a red shadow swiftly pounced and kicked one of them across the dining hall floor. Then another one went down. Luka watched as his men skidded around like sacks of flour and as Fon unleashed a flurry of attacks, leaping out of range of bullets and jabbing into the sides of the Mafiosi.

While all of this was going on, Lavina was silently ushering Bianchi toward the door as inconspicuously as possible. But Luka, who had been watching in shock at the sight of his men dropping like flies, noticed this, and discreetly aimed his gun once more at Lavina.

Fon, sensing a shift in the winds, tore his gaze from the man he just knocked out to Lavina and dropped everything to sprint in Lavina's direction. However, the shot had already left the barrel of Luka's gun. As he ran, Fon's dark eyes followed the projectile, knowing he'd be too late to stop it.

Her mother still occupied with the locked doors, Bianchi stepped in front of Lavina, a strange slice of purple cake in one hand. The little girl drew her hand back and hurled the dessert at the incoming attack. The moment the purple food touched the black metal, it exploded into violet mush. Sugary shrapnel sprayed all the way across the room at Luka, which sizzled upon hitting his face, and he cried out and dropped the gun.

In a flash, Fon was beside Lavina, staring at Bianchi in awe. The pink-haired girl then turned to her mother, smiling sweetly, while her mother, like Fon, gaped.

"[_Wasn't that amazing, Maman?_]" she asked. "[_I call it 'Poison Cooking'!_]"

"[_R-right…_]"

"**Are you three alright?**" Fon asked. Lavina nodded. "**Shall we go then?**"

"**What do you mean?**"

"**Surely you don't plan to stay here now,**" said Fon as though it should've been obvious.

"**But you are an A—**"

"**Yes, I am an Arcobaleno,**" Fon confirmed, letting out a sigh. "**But, please believe me when I say this: I never planned to become who I am – the position was forced upon me. If you come live with us you won't have to worry about your children being forced into the same situation.**"

Lavina glanced at her husband, who was out cold from burns, then back to the Chinese man. She had heard of the Arcobaleno, too, though, and their duty to take on a successor. She'd also heard that those successors were often taken as children without their parents' consent and grew up with harsh training for one purpose and one purpose only. If she went with the Storm Arcobaleno, could she be sure that her children would be safe?

She looked at Fon's calm dark eyes one more time but could only see sincerity within them. The answer was clear to her.

"**Very well**," Lavina said, shaking the man's hand. Fon appeared slightly taken aback at the familiar contact, but quickly masked it with a smile.

"**Then it's a pleasure to welcome you into the Red Dragon Monastery, Miss Lavina,**" Fon continued. He smashed his hand against the locked doors, sending a shockwave through them. A second later, they fall outwards into the entrance of the villa. "**Shall we leave?**"

Nodding, Lavina began to lead Bianchi and Fon out, but they both paused when they heard a cough behind them.

"**You'll regret this day, Arcobaleno!**" Luka shouted at them. "**We'll come after you when you least expect it!**"

Without missing a beat, Fon returned, "**Then I should inform you that the monastery is constantly run by dozens of Shaolin monks who have trained their entire life to defeat men like you. Dozens of monks with the skill level of myself on a bad day like today.**"

The underlying threat effectively shut the mob boss up, and the four left without further interference.

* * *

A/N:

Huangshan1 – Golden Mountains; said to be one of the most beautiful mountain ranges in China.

Veleno2 – Italian for Poison.

_Honglong_3 – lit. "Red Dragon" in Mandarin.

_Laoshi_4 – Mandarin honorific for 'teacher'. Similar to the Japanese 'sensei'.

_Furen_5 - Mandarin honorific for 'Mrs.'

_Ni hao__6 _– Mandarin for 'hello'.

_Scordatelo__7_ – Italian for 'forget it'.

I'm so sorry! I asked for your opinions, then completely disregarded them and wrote something different! I'm sorry this is so late and that this chapter is not very good (in my own opinion, at least). I'd started writing a different chapter (about Reborn, no less), but then realized it wouldn't work out in the chronological order of the story. And so, I had to start a differnet chapter. I'm not sure how well this chapter turned out, considering it has absolutely nothing to do with canon, and Fon seems _really _out of character. I hope it's okay for Lavina to have more of a role, considering she wasn't even a minor character in KHR. And there wasn't enough about Hayato! I can't tell you how disappointed I am with this chapter. *_hits head on laptop keyboard, messing up the settings*_

That aside, thanks to all of you for your support. To answer a couple specific reviews...never mind. But I'm glad you have so many questions - they're good because they remind me of things I hadn't thought of yet.

At one point, I was considering taking out the entire mafia world because it wouldn't really fit, but then I remembered that that wouldn't work because Reborn is a hitman. So, the mafia will play a minor role, but will not be the main focus.

Second, sorry about not being clearer on the pairings. This fic will not focus on romance (I just can't make up my mind, can I?).

On a side note, when you read, do certain colors seem to just 'fit' with the words? Like when I was writing this, a dark navy blue seemed to always be the background.

**Edit 11/23: I hope this chapter didn't offend anyone.**

Okay, okay, this is getting too long (when I'm tired, I start rambling).

Thanks for reading and please review to tell me how I'm doing!


	4. Silent Downpour

**Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Credit for the new image goes to Shikisenri, and was found on Zerochan.**

**Warnings: OOC moments.**

* * *

Steely magenta eyes behind a visor focused on the human-shaped target at the opposite side of the shooting range, a semi-automatic shotgun held at eye-level. For a moment, the cross-hairs wavered, but they soon steadied as the markswoman focused sharp eyes on her target. Her COMSUBIN recruits watched in silent trepidation as their instructor slowly pulled the trigger and…

"Hey, Lal, _kora_!"

The markswoman jerked the shotgun upwards in alarm, sending a flurry of bullets firing one after another up the poor target and tearing it to shreds. Leaping to her feet, the instructor furiously tore off her goggles and glared at the newcomer with shaggy blond hair held back in a camo green bandana and joking blue eyes.

"COLONELLO!"

"Yes, babe?" Colonello saluted obliviously. Lal Mirch's veins popped in irritation, and yet her face turned a light shade of pink at the same time.

"Refer to your commanding officer appropriately!" she yelled at him.

"Yes, sir, _kora_!"

Anger boiling to its peak, Lal sent a death glare at the other male trainees who dared snigger at her past student's words.

"You want to joke, huh?" she growled under her breath. Clenching her fists tightly, she roared, "TWENTY LAPS AROUND THE BASE! IF EVEN _ONE _OF YOU SLACKS OFF, _NONE_ OF YOU GO HOME!"

A collective groan arose in reply, and the soldiers marched past Lal while sending dirty looks at Colonello. Said blonde looked sheepishly on.

"Great job, Colonello," one of them grumbled.

"Why'd you go and get on her bad side?" wondered another.

"Hey, now, _kora_!" Colonello objected, rubbing the back of his head. "She _is_ my girlfriend, after all, _kora_!" Irritation abruptly shifted to pity, and the recruits surrounded him with comforting words and pats to the shoulder.

"That's rough, buddy."

"Good luck, man."

A thunderous bullet impaled itself dangerously close into the dirt at their feet, and the COMSUMBIN backed away.

"ENOUGH IDLE CHITCHAT! START RUNNING!"

"YES, MA'AM!" they chorused back.

Colonello, seeing his girlfriend was in a bad mood (his own fault), tried to blend in with the recruits and began to jog with them, but Lal Mirch grabbed the scruff of his open grass green military jacket.

"And just where do you think _you're_ going?" she asked in a perilously low voice with her free hand on her hip.

"Uh…"

"That's what I thought." Sighing, Lal began to drag the blonde away. "Come with me."

As it was, Colonello wasn't the original Rain Arcobaleno – the position had originally been assigned to Lal Mirch by their mentor. The two had practically grown up together in COMSUBIN, with Lal Mirch as Colonello's superior. But the backstory wasn't important, and it definitely wasn't the purpose for Lal Mirch taking her on-and-off boyfriend to a tiny café a few blocks from the COMSUBIN base in town.

Colonello didn't seem to understand that joking around near an irate girlfriend was _never _a good idea, even if you were an Arcobaleno. Oblivious as he was, however, he let Lal drag him to their designated meeting spot. Once every month, the two met up for a mandatory 'meeting' (Lal had refused to refer to it as a 'date') after Lal's work. They'd meet up before and after then, of course, though it usually ended as a harsh training session for Colonello.

When Lal finally let go of Colonello, it was on the opposite side of the booth, after walking a few blocks and catching a cab to dinner. Sitting down, the Rain Arcobaleno placed his chin on his palm, grinning at Lal, who sat with crossed arms, glaring off in another direction. There was the slightest bit of pink tinting her cheeks, Colonello noticed. _Why not make it brighter?_

"You're looking nice today, Lal, _kora_!" he complimented. Her eyes darted to him, and her blush deepened. _Success!_ he thought.

"S-shut up! It's not like I didn't remember what today was," Lal protested. Self-consciously, she glanced down at herself, making sure her navy military dress was straightened.

"And here I thought you had forgotten about me," Colonello continued. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a bouquet of bright violet blooms. He presented them to Lal. "Picked this up at Luce's, _kora_! Hope you like them."

Smiling for a moment, Lal admired the flowers. Normally, if someone tried to offer her flowers, she'd take them and throw them back; but since they came from Colonello by means of Luce, Lal would take them. Then she remembered the meaning of the blooms.

"What is it you want me to do, Colonello?" Lal asked warily.

"What do you mean, _kora_?" he replied in false confusion. "Just 'cause I gave you flowers doesn't mean I want something." Lal raised an eyebrow at him. "Alright, alright, _kora_. Here's the deal—" he became serious as he spoke the following—"I want you to go to America with me, _kora_."

"What?"

"Lal, I found the kid I want to be as my successor, _kora_!"

"Really?" Lal said, eyes widening. She thought he'd been slacking off. "Who is it?"

"You know that famous swordsman, Tsuyoshi Yamamoto, _kora_?" Colonello asked. Without waiting for an answer, he continued, "Well, I saw a Rain flame in his son. Don't ask 'how did you see that?', _kora_, 'cause I don't know either."

"How do you know…he's 'the one'?"

Colonello tapped the side of his head, grinning. "Intuition," he answered. Lal stood up abruptly, and a fist immediately came down onto his head. "Ouch, _kora_!"

"Intuition?" Lal repeated incredulously. "How many times have I told you that a soldier shouldn't rely on his 'intuition'?" The young woman sat back down, folding her arms. Sighing, she asked, "So, when do we leave?"

Colonello grinned, and the light blue pacifier around his neck glows minutely. He answered, "Tomorrow at 0800 hours."

* * *

True to his word, Colonello met up with Lal at the nearby airport the next morning ten minutes before 8 AM, knowing full well how much Lal disliked lateness. Today he wore civilian clothes – a high-collared navy jacket and tan cargo pants – rather than his usual uniform. He leaned against the wall, hands in his pockets, and continually glanced around for his partner. A white falcon rested on his shoulder, and passersby had to wonder how the man had gotten the bird past security.

"You think she's coming, Falco?" Colonello asked it. The bird screeched in reply, and the Rain Arcobaleno blushed wildly. "I do not, _kora_!" He looked around the area again, this time seeing his partner walking towards him.

"Ah, Colonello, you're early," Lal remarked. In contrast to Colonello's laid-back appearance, the leader of COMSUBIN wore a Spartan long-sleeved black business suit over a white dress shirt, a knee-length skirt, and her normal combat boots. Her infrared visor rested on her messy blue hair. Bystanders even paused to stare, until she sent a death glare in their direction, and they dispersed. Seeing this, Colonello laughed. "W-what's so funny?"

"You never change, Lal," he replied. "I'd thought you'd become more ladylike, _kora_!"

"S-shut up!"

"Anyway, Lal, you ready to go, _kora_?" asked Colonello, calmness back in his voice. Lal Mirch nodded in confirmation, and the duo entered through the airport gates together.

"By the way, do you know English, _kora_...?"

* * *

Hours later, their plane finally landed at the San Francisco International Airport. Unlike at the airport in Italy, the locals didn't even spare them a passing glance for Lal's somewhat strange apparel. Nor, when they did stare, did they scatter when she glowered at them. The COMSUBIN woman already disliked this place.

As they left the airport, waves of a strange, indescribable smell hit them. Almost immediately, Lal pulled out a tan-to-crimson cloak and wrapped it around her shoulders and up to her nose in order to block the scent.

The two scanned the area for a moment, taking in the sights. Sloped roads seemed to continue on forever, with rectangular buildings, both ancient and just-built, followed the rolling angles. Unlit neon lights donned nearly every other structure, and all sorts of vehicles lining right up to the sidewalk where people of all sorts of groups and fashions milled about. There was a strangely refreshing air to the busy city, compared to the town they'd left back in Italy.

"So, a famed swordsman lives…here?" Lal wondered with uncertainty.

"Yeah, _kora_," the Rain Arcobaleno answered. "It's 'cause of what happened in Japan."

Lal Mirch turned to the Rain Arcobaleno in question, waiting for him to elaborate. "_You_ know what caused him to move here?"

"Hey, _kora_! I did my research. Apparently, a couple of weeks ago, a kid went missing in Namimori, where Tsuyoshi Yamamoto used to live, _kora_. Anyway, after the disappearance made the news, Yamamoto packed up his bags and moved here, probably thinking it was safer."

"And so? People disappear all the time. And why _here_ of all places?"

"It wasn't just any person who took the kid, though, _kora_. It was one of us."

"Who—?"

"Luce, _kora_."

"Luce's already found her successor?" said Lal. Then she whacked Colonello on the back of his head. "And here you are, slacking off! I thought I taught you not to procrastinate!"

"That's why we're here, _kora_!" he protested. "So…where should we look first…?"

"Are you guys lost?" a voice asked in English. The duo turned to see a tanned man with short black hair, friendly brown eyes, and high cheekbones. There was a slight accent to his speech, as though English wasn't his first language. "You two have stood there for a long time."

"We're looking for someone," Lal Mirch answered after a moment's hesitation. "Have you heard of a swordsman called 'Tsuyoshi Yamamoto'?" At that name, a dangerous shadow passed across the man's eyes, but it disappeared as quickly as it'd come.

"Tsuyoshi Yamamoto, eh?" echoed the man. "Why do you need to find him?"

"We're—"

"We're his fans, _kora_," Colonello cut in. The man, caught off guard, raised a brow, but then laughed it off.

"That so?" he said. "That Yamamoto and I go way back, probably even before you were born – I never knew he had younger fans." Lal wasn't sure whether to be glad that she didn't appear old yet, or insulted that this man mistook her for a younger than her true age. "In any case, I can show you where he normally trains. Follow me."

The man turned and started to walk in another looks with Lal, Colonello shrugged and walked after the man. Lal wasn't so sure, though. Every part of her strict mind told her not to trust this man so easily. Something about that hard look in his eyes told her they shouldn't take him lightly. Still, it was her duty to follow her student in his search.

"Not to be rude, but who are you, _kora_?" Colonello asked.

"I'm…Tomeo Yamato," the man introduced himself, and both the Rain Arcobaleno and his teacher heard a bit of hesitation in his voice. "And what about you two? Where are you from?"

"We're visiting from Italy, _kora_," Colonello answered, ignoring the warning look from Lal. "Name's Cole, and this is my partner La. Thanks for taking us, _kora_."

"Maa, maa, it's no problem at all," Tomeo reassured him. "After all, we warriors-at-heart must stick together, right?"

Some time later, when the sun was already beginning to set, the three reached the rooftop of one of the many high-tech skyscraping apartments of the city. Tomeo allowed Colonello and Lal to enter through the doorway to the rectangular arena-like rooftop, then followed behind them himself, closing the door behind him.

It was as though the roof had been modified to accommodate a swordsman's rigorous training. Deep gouges marred the plain steel, and an empty weapons stand stood under a grey water tower, away from the edge of the roof. Swords clearly took the main spots of the metal stand, if they went by the ridged grooves and the height. No gun or other bladed weapon could fit. The only thing missing: the swordsman himself.

"Huh? Looks like he's not here, _kora_!" remarked Colonello. "Maybe we'll come back some other time, right, Lal, _kora_?"

The Rain Arcobaleno turned on his heels to leave, only to be met with the sharp tip of a black _katana_ under his chin. Jumping in shock, the blonde leapt backwards to where Lal stood, her signature shotgun already in her hands. Her student, however, didn't follow suit, only putting his hands up in a 'wait' stature.

"Wait, _kora_!" he said. "Why—"

"Allow me to inquire again," Tomeo cut in, an icy glare in his eyes. "What is your real reason for wanting to see Tsuyoshi Yamamoto?" He eyed the large firearm gripped by Lal. "Normal 'fans' wouldn't carry around guns. Who are you two?"

"We might as well tell him, _kora_," Colonello told Lal, who shrugged.

"It's up to you, since I'm the failed one," she replied.

Sighing and rubbing the back of his neck, Colonello said, "I'm the Rain Arcobaleno, Colonello, and this is my partner Lal Mirch, _kora_. We came to the states to find my successor."

"A successor?" Tomeo repeated incredulously. But his grip on the sword's hilt tightened. "Then, are you the one who stole that child in Namimori?"

"That wasn't—" Colonello objected, but quickly became silent. Arcobaleno matters were supposed to be kept completely secret. But this man knew more than expected. "Who are you, old man? You're no ordinary 'fan' either, _kora_!"

"Fair enough," Tomeo replied. He deepened his stance. "However, if you wish to know who I am, you'll have to defeat me first."

"Wait, what, _kora_?!"

But the Japanese man ignored his questions and flew at the two, drawing his _katana_ on his right side, the tip mere centimeters above the thick ground. He came upon Colonello so quickly that the blonde had little time to react. Stumbling on his feet, the Rain Arcobaleno watched with wide eyes as the black steel passed over his head, right where it had been not a moment ago. The blonde hastily regained his footing on the edge of the roof. The swordsman prepared to strike once more, but Lal was ready this time.

Without a word, she pulled the trigger of her shotgun, and bullets erupted from the metallic barrel and at the swordsman. However, in flashes of steel, the man swiftly cut down the metal barrage, and they fell to the ground, smoking and sliced cleanly in half.

Needless to say, Lal and Colonello were amazed.

Their awe swiftly dissipated, however, when the man continued to rush at them. The Arcobaleno normally didn't attack bystanders, but this time, it was a bystander attacking them. But having a gun would only put them at a disadvantage if the swordsman before them could easily slice the bullets in half. So after a conflicted decision, Colonello and Lal slung their respective firearms over their backs and fought with their bare fists.

Without a word, Tomeo seemed to acknowledge this with a curt nod, but he suddenly dipped down, releasing his sword, then struck the hilt of the blade with his shoe. Hard. It zoomed at Lal, who just barely evaded it with a well-timed stretch backwards, and the metal impaled itself into the roof's ridge.

"_Yarazu no ame_," the swordsman murmured under his breath.

In a flash, Tomeo appeared, ready to reclaim his sword, but Colonello met him with a jab from the side. The Japanese man had to block with his forearm to stop the fist from reaching his face, but the heel of another combat boot met him in the back, and he went sprawling across the roof.

Swiftly, Tomeo caught his balance, using his knuckles to slow his slide, then made for his sword again. Colonello and Lal were ready to meet him, but the man abruptly leapt into the air, high over their heads, to the balcony where his sword lay. Grabbing it, he spun on his feet and saw Colonello as his next target.

Dashing up to the blonde, Tomeo slashed at him with the blunt of his blade, and Colonello instinctively raised his arms in defense and evaded backwards, but it took him a moment to realize that no _katana_ reached him. Then Colonello noticed – the Japanese man had effectively feinted, and had reversed his grip on the blade.

"_Shigure Soen Ryu, Fifth Offensive Form, Samidare_!"

He slashed again at Colonello, but froze upon hearing the _click!_ of a firearm being cocked at his neck. Eyes darting to the side, Tomeo saw that Lal had taken out her shotgun again.

"Don't you _dare_ harm my idiotic student," she warned in a deathly tone. Tomeo's eyes widened slightly, but then he smiled good-naturedly, much to the shock of the Rain Arcobaleno and his partner.

"Not bad," the Japanese man remarked. With an arced swing, he high-pitched streak of a sword flashed through the air, and the barrel of the shotgun slid off the rest in a diagonal line. "But you should never bring a gun to a swordfight."

Returning the _katana _to a sheath the others hadn't noticed before, he began walking to the exit, but he paused about halfway there. Colonello and Lal, who were sufficiently confused about the turn of events, waited for an explanation from the man who'd just tried to kill them. The three stared at oe another for a few long moments, almost daring the other side to speak out.

"My apologies for the fight," Tomeo finally said. "But I had to test you guys."

"What do you mean?" Lal demanded, irritated.

"I couldn't just let anyone raise my son to be a future Arcobaleno," Tomeo – or whoever he was – continued. "But now I can see you two are the real deal."

"Wait, when you say 'your son a future Arcobaleno', _kora_," Colonello trailed off as he put the pieces together. Out of nowhere, he jabbed a finger in Tomeo's direction. "No way, _kora_! You're—"

"Yes, I the Legendary Swordsman of the Shigure Soen Ryu Technique," confirmed the Japanese man with a grin. "And my name is…Tsuyoshi Yamamoto."

While this fact should've been a shocker to the two marksmen, but in truth, they somehow innately knew – after all, no ordinary man should be so skilled with a sword. But that only raised more questions. The man knew their identities and their purpose. He could counter their attacks with ease (though they went easy on him). This man could make a dangerous enemy if it ever came to it.

"Now!" Tsuyoshi said, catching their attention. "Come with me – there is much to discuss."

As he left the rooftop, Colonello and Lal exchanged glances, shrugged, and followed.

* * *

This time, the swordsman led the Arcobaleno to a Japanese-styled home in the Japan-town of San Francisco. Cherry blossom trees swayed peacefully in the breeze, and the Zen-like intone of a far-off bell gave the house they arrived at a somewhat mystical air to it. If not for the busy streets packed with tourists nearby, it would've been reminiscent of rural Japan.

Tsuyoshi Yamamoto walked up to the front door of his home and unlocked it, calling inside, "I'm back, Ana!"

A young teenage girl came running up to him, carrying a wailing child who resembled the swordsman greatly. This little boy was the one Colonello had been searching for, the one with the blue flames.

"Thank goodness you're back!" the girl, Ana, said urgently. "Takeshi started crying as soon as you left and hasn't stopped since. I've tried feeding him, giving him a bath, but nothing worked."

That may have been, but as soon as Tsuyoshi collected his son into his arms, the little boy stopped crying and smiled cheerfully at the Japanese man. Ana stared in awe and amazement at how easily he calmed his son.

Tsuyoshi then turned to Colonello and Lal, who were beginning to feel out of place. "Why don't you two head to the kitchen?" he suggests. "It's just down the hall to the right. Can't miss it. I'll be right there."

Nodding, the two brushed past Tsuyoshi and Ana, who eyed the two strangers warily. As she passed, Lal could hear Ana whispering to Tsuyoshi, "Who are those people?"

"Nothing to worry about," the man replied.

"Lal," Colonello's voice redirected her attention, and she followed her partner through the narrow hallways and to a homey kitchen and dining room with a wide worn counter slightly off center of the room, while a table for four sat in the center. It was obvious by how many cooking utensils – mostly knives – that the owner of the house was a chef.

Colonello headed over to the table and reclined, but Lal remained standing. They stared off in different directions until Tsuyoshi entered with Takeshi a few minutes later.

"Sorry about that," he apologized. After placing Takeshi in a highchair, Tsuyoshi sat next to him. "Ana's been Takeshi's babysitter for a few weeks now."

"What happened to Takeshi's mother, _kora_?" Colonello asked quietly. Tsuyoshi hesitated for a moment before answering.

"My wife, Inari, passed away a few months ago after Takeshi was born," he answered. The man's brow furrowed as unrelenting memories surfaced. Takeshi seemed to intuitively sense the shift in the mood, and he patted his father's hand. Tsuyoshi smiled at this gesture and continued. "But enough about that. Can I get either of you anything to eat, to drink? Perhaps sushi?"

"No thanks," Lal answered shortly. She looked to her partner, hoping he'd hurry the conversation along. "Colonello."

"Right," he said as he nodded. Then, looking at Tsuyoshi, he explained the situation once more. "As the Rain Arcobaleno, it's my job to find a successor, _kora_. It turns out, your son is _the one_ – I saw blue Dying Will flames inside him."

"And these flames would be…?" Tsuyoshi asked calmly. His answer seemed to perturb Colonello, who was taken aback.

Scratching the back of his head, Colonello wondered how to put it. "Um…they're like a form of energy that depends on a person's personality, _kora_, but only a few actually have one. Since your son is a holder of Rain flames, it's my job to train him to become the next Rain Arcobaleno. And that means…well, _kora_, we have to take him with us."

Tsuyoshi shut his eyes tightly and placed a hand on his chin, thinking pensively. After a few tense moments, he finally murmured sadly, "I see."

"You're taking this awfully easy, don't cha think, _kora_?" Colonello remarked, and Tsuyoshi gave him a small smile.

"I'm not as inexperienced as you young'uns think," the Japanese man chided. "In my younger days, when Inari was still alive, we met a young shaman who told us our first-born would be chosen for something great. Being young, we didn't believe her. Yet, when you Arcobaleno, failed or not, came, I knew she had meant you two. That's why I can allow Takeshi to leave with you – no matter how much he means to me, no matter how much I need him, the world will need him even more."

Abruptly, Tsuyoshi stood, slamming his hands down onto the table. "So if you must take my Takeshi away," he said, "for everyone's sake and my own, I'll relent. Train him to become the best darn Arcobaleno ever."

"Then, you'll allow—?" Lal began, but was cut off.

"…Yes," Tsuyoshi nearly whispered in reply. Then his voice became a pained pleading. "But please…let me have one more day with my son before..."

Averting his eyes, Colonello said, "Of course, _kora_."

* * *

Tsuyoshi allowed Colonello and Lal to spend the night in one of his guest rooms, seeing at they had no place to stay, and they were grateful for it. Throughout the night, they could hear laughter coming from a nearby room as Tsuyoshi played with Takeshi for the last time. Lal noticed Colonello wasn't nearly as energetic as he usually was – not that she didn't understand.

Clouds gathered that night, and continued into a steady rain early the next morning. When Lal woke up, she noticed Colonello had disappeared from the room. Getting dressed quickly, she snuck through the house, which wasn't too hard for a soldier like herself. Lal was used to Colonello's rash tendencies, so she wasn't too worried, though she did wonder where he'd gone off to. _Maybe outside?_ she thought. It wouldn't be that improbable. Rain _was _Colonello's favorite weather, and he always went outside in it to think. She, on the other hand, did not, and took an umbrella with her as she went to the front door.

Opening it, she unfolded her umbrella and immediately saw Colonello sitting hunched over on the front steps staring up at the sky as rain pelted him endlessly. Not that Colonello seemed to care. The man looked as though he hadn't slept a wink, what with the dark bags under his eyes. But what worried Lal were the unfocused eyes that gazed upwards.

"Colonello…" Lal murmured quietly. The Arcobaleno closed his eyes in acknowledgement.

"Hey, Lal, _kora_," he said without looking at her. Even his _kora_'s were less enthusiastic than usual. "Couldn't sleep, so I came out here, _kora_." Lal didn't answer, but waited for him to continue.

"Lal, are we doing the right thing?" Colonello questioned. "I mean, that's his freaking _son_ we're taking, _kora_. He has a future, and we're taking it from him." He held up the blue pacifier around his neck. "I know it's my duty as an Arcobaleno, but this _can't_ be right, _kora_!"

Sighing, Lal told him, "We can't change how things are, Colonello." When he started to protest, she cut in, "At least, not right now. Just don't…don't give up just yet."

He gazed at her with confusion, until he understood her insinuation. The Rain Arcobaleno stood quickly, waving a determined fist, grinning and saying, "You're right, _kora_! We'll change the system. Maybe not now, maybe not even in the near future. But we _will _change the future. Thanks, Lal, _kora_!"

Lal smiled, until he added, "Maybe you _are _becoming more ladylike, _kora_!"

"Why you—!" she started, but her partner only laughed. Sighing once more, she decided she'd let him off the hook just this once. Internally she promised herself never to show her soft side ever again.

The front door suddenly slid open, and all the happiness from before changed to chagrin. Tsuyoshi appeared, holding a sleeping Takeshi close to him. From the looks of it, the man hadn't slept much either.

"I'm ready," he informed them severely. He handed Takeshi to a nodding Colonello.

"Look, Tsuyoshi—" the Rain Arcobaleno began.

"Just hurry up and leave," that man cut in harshly, his voice painfully begging. "The longer you take, the hard it'll be to let you leave with Takeshi."

Lal then stepped in for her student, saying, "Very well, then. Thank you for your cooperation, Tsuyoshi."

The man laughed bitterly. "Don't thank me," he said. "Thank that shaman. Without her, you'd never have gotten your successor."

Glancing away, Colonello answered quietly, "We will."

Right as the two turned to leave from a stern-faced Tsuyoshi, Takeshi woke up, slightly disoriented from waking up under an umbrella outside. When the boy noticed it wasn't his father carrying him, he looked over Colonello's shoulder and back at the house.

"To-to*!" he cried, and that was it for Tsuyoshi. The Japanese man fell to his knees, heartbroken. As the boy wailed even louder, reaching tirelessly for his father, Colonello grit his teeth, and Lal shut her eyes tightly.

"To-to!"

The boy's cries clashed with the thunderous downpour of the rain, even as they grew smaller and smaller into the distance. And nearby, lightning flashed through the sky, almost like a tribute to what had taken place.

* * *

_A/N: *To-to: Takeshi's attempt to say 'Tou-san', which means 'father' in Japanese._

_So first off, sorry for this being so late (nearly a month or more), but I was both discouraged and motivated by your reviews to do better, hence the longer waiting period. You can also go to my Profile to get more information about updates._

_Anyway, about this chapter, I hope the ending wasn't too depressing, but I couldn't end it any differently. I still have plans for Tsuyoshi, by the way. About Ana, she isn't even a minor character, but I needed a reason for why Tsuyoshi would leave Takeshi at home. About the fight scene: sorry it's not very detailed. I still need practice writing fight scenes, and Lal and Colonello didn't seem strong enough._

_Replies to reviews for chapter 3:_

_Lexie-chan94: Thanks for your feedback! I'm still trying to lay out the plot, but to answer one of them, the Arcobalenos will meet up eventually._

_Soul Vrazy: Thanks! I"m glad you thought so._

_Past Story: Thanks! Sorry, this isn't very 'soon', but hopefully you still like it._

_Ayumi Asumi: I'm glad you gave your honest opinion. Yeah...I didn't really plan it out well, but I spent more time on this chapter, so hopefully you liked it better. Thanks for continuing to read this fic - your support is very encouraging_

_Guest: Thanks for your input, and yeeaahh, I'm still figuring out that part._

_Swanfrost15: Thanks!_

_Um...I was going to say something else, but then I forgot what; maybe I'll post it later..._

_I'll keep this short and sweet. Faves and Follows are great, but Reviews are even better. As always, thanks for reading!_


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